Category: Gluten Free

AVOCADOS // contain more potassium than a banana

Potassium is a nutrient that most people are not getting enough of. This nutrient helps maintain electrical gradients in the body’s cells and serves various important functions.

Avocados are actually very high in potassium…with a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) serving containing 14% of the recommended daily amount (RDA), compared to 10% in bananas, which are a typical high potassium food.

Several studies show that having a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.

Today’s meal share is not just one recipe but THREE! I normally only share one but this pic shows the entire meal, so why not share the whole thing? They all can be whipped up in no time, so sharing them all is no big thang.

It all may sound complex but it was one of the quickest meals to make and for this night’s case, it was for a lot of hungry mouths!

What makes these dishes so nice is that they each have that one ingredient that really makes the flavors pop. For the salad, it’s the mangoes, for the tacos, it’s the pom seeds and for the beans it’s the goat cheese. You don’t need to focus on much seasoning since its all right there in the ingredients.

So, the next time you’re wanting to cook for a large group or just don’t have the energy to put some time into dinner, try out this meal.

CHOPPED KALE SALAD

Remove kale from stems and pulse briefly in a blender/food processor until the entire bunch has been blended. Add to salad bowl.

Lightly toss the salad with 1-2 tbs of grapeseed oil, massaging it into the kale (this helps you get more nutrients from the kale)

Pour the entire bag (juice, too) of mangoes on top of the salad

Lightly toast pumpkin seeds in a saute pan on the stove. Make sure you keep your eye on these bad boys, if they sit too long they will burn…take my word for it. Stir occasionally and then once lightly toasted, pour on top of the salad

Place in the fridge until the rest of your meal is cooked and plated.

BLACK BEANS

1 can organic black beans

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Heat beans on stove and when ready, serve in a bowl and top with goat cheese

WHITE FISH TACOS

fresh Halibut filets (or any other white fish of your choosing)

pre-made guacamole

packaged pomegranate seeds

corn tortillas

salt and pepper

red pepper flakes

paprika

Side Note: I meant it when I said this was a quick recipe. The guacamole was pre-made from Whole Foods and the pom seeds had been removed from the pom itself for me and placed into a plastic container…expensively contained but worth every penny. Have you ever tried to remove pom arils yourself? It might be worse than cutting up a mango. Just buy them pre-packaged from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.

Preheat the oven to 350

Place your fish on a large metal tray lined in foil or parchment paper and season with your S, PP, paprika and sprinkle lightly with your red pepper flakes.

Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes (or until flaky)

When you have a few minutes remaining, wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel and place in the oven until warm.

Once the tortillas are ready, top them with the fish, guac and then the pom seeds.

163 DAYS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY

CARROTS // stop memory loss

Middle-aged people who ate the lowest amount of root vegetables showed more than three times as much cognitive decline as those who ate the most, according to a Netherlands study.

Researchers concluded that the beta-carotene in the vegetables – ESPECIALLY IN CARROTS–protected the central nervous system against aging.

An 18-year Harvard study determined that when men consumed 50mg supplements of beta-carotene every other day, cognitive decay was delayed for the equivalent of 1 to 1.5 years compared to those who took a placebo.

Today’s recipe is another gem I stumbled upon while stuck in an airport for hours on end; I have never been so thankful for crappy weather and a delayed flight.

Since this is Miss Martha Stewart’s recipe and not mine I feel I can toot it’s horn a little bit. I must say this is one of the most simple and easy recipes I have made to date but not only that, the presentation is outstanding. I felt like something so easy to make looked like a lot of thought and effort was taken. Not only that but the flavors are such a great match. This side dish will be a great hit at a dinner party where you’re definitely looking to impress.

On a random side note: Barbles and I were laughing earlier about, what if you were the person in the 18 -year study that was getting the placebo… for 18-years!! What a mind f*ck! ha. I would love to hear yalls take on that! Anywho, here is the recipe!

CARROTS + SESAME

INGREDIENTS

2 large carrots

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1-2 tsp of lemon juice

sesame seeds sprinkled

Using a potato peeler, peel carrots into ribbons. For added support while peeling, I used a knife pinning the top of the carrot in place on the cutting board (literally stab the knife thru the top on the carrot, pinning it in place.)

Place the ribbons of carrot in a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.

I am sure we all have our rituals to what we do when we feel a cold coming along. Mine used to be just simply pounding vitamin C chewables, orange juice and lots of water. But instead of pounding that vitamin C when it’s already too late, why not boost the immune system when you’re feeling fab? Why only help the body out when it’s under the weather?

Ever since I was diagnosed with Celiac disease I made it a passion to boost my immune system; I am extremely driven to never get sick again! The more research I have done, the more foods I am finding that have vitamin c in them!

A FEW TO NAME:

Bell peppers

Kale/Spinach

Broccoli

Kiwi Fruit

Berries

Tomatoes

Peas

When I am sick, I guarantee you I won’t be craving a bowl of brussels sprouts so that is why it is key to ingest these immune boosters when you’re feeling tip top!

The goal is to maintain my health, not repair it!

For those of you who want to stay on top of your immune system or just want a delicious recipe, here you go!

LEMON-Y BRUSSELS SPROUTS

INGREDIENTS

brussels sprouts cut in halves

candied pecans

1 lemon

3 tbs grapeseed oil

3 cloves garlic

S + PP to taste

Cut the bottoms off of the brussies and then cut in halves, place into saute pan

Once all brussies are cut up, add oil and turn to medium heat

Add your salt, pepper and garlic

Once the brussies start turning to a light green and softening, turn the heat to low, add the juice of one lemon (zest, too if you’re feeling fancy) and the candied pecans. If you can’t find candied pecans, use regular pecans and add 1-2 tbs of brown sugar.

Cook on low until you are ready to serve dinner

Enjoy!

131 DAYS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY!

KALE // packed with vitamin c

Vitamin C is an important nutrient. It is a water-soluble antioxidant that serves many vital functions in the body’s cells. For example, it is necessary to synthesize collagen, the most abundant structural protein in the body.

Kale is much higher in vitamin c than most other vegetables, containing about 4.5 times much as spinach. The truth is kale is actually among the world’s best sources of vitamin c.

A cup of raw kale even contains MORE vitamin c than a whole orange!

The one time I will ever be grateful for a long delayed flight is because of this recipe right here!

I had purchased only so many magazines and had scored a sweet spot to sit and charge my work iPad, so obviously I was not getting up until my flight came…or extreme restlessness ensued. So, there I was reading my Martha Stewart Living Mag for the third time and my eye caught this very small blurb about an easy kale pesto recipe.

Kale is a staple in our house for 2 very simple reasons–Ryan is obsessed with Morgan’s Kale Salad and I love it in my smoothies, ergo, we keep it in the fridge on the reg. So, when this recipe came into my life after skimming over it time and time again, I knew it had to be made for the upcoming Meatless Monday.

There is nothing more exciting than reading a new recipe and realizing that all of it’s ingredients are staples in the house.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Above it discusses how vitamin c is crucial to the body’s cells, it is necessary to synthesize collagen. Something that I am curious about when it comes to my own (genetically mutated) collagen, is mine being synthesized? Is the vitamin c intake truly benefiting towards the protection of my collagen? I ask this to myself often when healing my body with food because since my collagen is genetically mutated (Ehlers’s Danlos Syndrome) it cannot be altered back into a “normal” state. So, the question is, Am I eternally doomed and I will just deal with the natural degradation of my collagen or can I maintain it with diet? Time shall tell, won’t it?

Until then, let’s stuff our face with some really great food that will keep us alive and happy forever 😉

119 DAYS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY

RASPBERRIES // work like magic on your wrinkles

Raspberries can actually be used as a natural face mask. They also protect the skin against the sun’s rays. The antioxidant powers of vitamin C effectively reduce the age spots and discoloration.

By filling in minor wrinkles, raspberries can help you restore your youthful appearance.

Raspberries can be made into great facial masks for glowing skin, you just need to mix 1 cup of plain yogurt and 2 cups of fresh raspberries, then blend the mixture until it becomes completely smooth. Apply to mixture to your entire face and keep it on for 15 minutes. Wash it off with tepid water.

Today’s snack is something I ate so much during MS150 training. There is no part (in my mind) about bread that is good for you but I feel the rest of this snack is! It’s quick, easy and packed with great nutrients to get you thru till your next meal.

Since I don’t absorb as well, I get hungry VERY frequently. With my job, I am popping from building to building all day long AKA working on the go and spending a lot of time in my car. My car truly has turned into a sample closet (I slang pharma drugs) and a pantry full of protein filled snacks to get me from meal to meal. Some would say it smells of rich cardboard boxes and almond butter…just kidding (or am I?)

I digress, this snack has been a frequent visitor in my car. It it the perfect mix of savory but tart and gives me the energy I need to survive until my next snack attack.

If you need a snack for the couch or on the go, try this messy and delicious Raspberry + Almond Butter Sandwich.

116 DAYS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY

AVOCADOS // people who eat them tend to be healthier

One study looked at the dietary habits and health of people who eat avocados. They analyzed data from 17,567 participants in the NHANES survey in the U.S.

Avocado consumers were found to be much healthier than people who didn’t eat avocados. They had much higher nutrient intake and were half as likely to have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that are a major risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.

People who ate avocados regularly also weighed less, had a lower BMI and significantly less belly fat. They also had more HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.

For those of you who are close to me or read my blurbs know that I am trying to eat less meat for inflammation purposes. To get myself to lower my animal protein intake, we have started doing Meatless Mondays in hopes that I can get enough staple meals to have Meatless Wednesday’s, Fridays, etc. relying less and less on meat.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a nice bloody steak or a well-dressed chicken breast but the way I feel after I eat them just isn’t worth the frequent intake, nor the long-term effects it has on my body. I will not judge or preach to other meat-eating family members or friends since I do miss the stuff and realize the nutritional benefits. But, like I said, this is for my health and I am determined to feel like a normal, healthy, adventure-seeking individual.

For a recent Meatless Monday, I came up with a dish that became an instant classic. Not only because it was delicious, but it also could be stored in the freezer and enjoyed time and time again. I love a good comfort meal and this one really hit the spot.

If you feel like trying a fun, new weekly tradition, try Meatless Monday’s! You will be very surprised to find how filling these meatless meals can be!

I have tried jumping jacks to get the blood movin’ but that typically causes some stares, peppermints (eating and smelling it’s oil), and a nice cold-pressed juice but those things can get redundant after a while.

When I found out my newest afternoon snack gave a great energy boost, I was given an even greater incentive to enjoy them.

ALMOND BUTTER STUFFED DATES

Cut open the center of the date, removing the seed. I use my hands typically but these guys can get pretty sticky.

With a sandwich knife, fill the center of the date with almond butter as well as the top making it look like the date has been dipped into the almond butter.

Roll or sprinkle your toppings onto the almond butter. This recipe can be used with so many other toppings; almonds, pistachios, shredded coconut, etc.

Enjoy!

100 DAYS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!

Quick tangent: I cannot believe I have gone this many days without getting a cold, sinus infection, etc. It’s honestly been “always something” since my freshman year of college!! (2005) This is a great feeling and I truly owe all of it to NUTRITION…food truly can be medicine. It’s proven so for me! I really cannot wait to see my friends and loved ones lives and health improve when they realize what you put in your body affect how you feel.